Drug Of The Month: Alpha-Lipoic Acid

Surprising but true: Endurance athletes—long-distance cyclists, iron-man-level triathletes, marathoners—don't always look so hot when you see them up close.

I once met one of the world's most invincible female triathletes, and she looked desiccated—ten years older than she was, with smoker's lines around her mouth. This happens when intense training stresses the body to the point where it becomes overrun with free radicals, which are scavenging molecules that cause oxidation within the cells. Think of it this way: If your body's a car, free radicals are what will cause you to rust (even if you don't train eight hours a day). Alpha-lipoic acid is the drug that mops up those destructive little bastards before they wreak havoc on your tissues.

But does it deliver? I took 300 milligrams per day for a month. I didn't notice anything too dramatic, but I did raise the intensity and duration of my workouts without feeling more fatigued than usual. (I also received several compliments on my skin.) I plan to keep on it and watch for longer-term results. I'm also going to try combining it with the amino acid acetyl-L-carnitine (a fat metabolizer). There's some evidence that the two taken together may form an even more potent rejuvenating mix.

Fun fact: Alpha-lipoic acid is used to treat people who've eaten poison mushrooms.

Where to buy: Any health-food store. Prices vary.

Susan Casey is an overworked executive and former internationally ranked athlete who continues to compete against college-age punks.

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